He had also tried higher-level skills, but not a single one had succeeded.
The menu displayed the skill proficiencies:
[Back Hop] 1/10000, [Mighty Slash] 1/10000, [Flying Blade] 1/10000, [Cutting] 1/10000, [Thrust] 1/10000, [Rising Uppercut] 1/10000, [Dagger Attack] 2/10000, [Stealing] 6/10000
Added together, those points already came to fourteen. The prize pool was ready for a draw. Effort Points: 14.
That was definitely enough for a single draw. If he practiced with a dagger, both [Cutting] and [Flying Blade] could trigger [Dagger Attack]. If he trained those two first, he would gain double the points.
But he had to master one attack-type skill. If he had not found a way to solve the dagger problem earlier, he would definitely have chosen to practice [Mighty Slash] first. After all, Warrior class skills could be practiced with a wooden stick.
But with his small, young body, his basic stats were definitely low. His Five Dimensions or Four Dimensions might also be very low. In such a hardcore world, Warrior class skills would certainly not provide much benefit in the short term.
[Cutting] was a close-range Thief class skill. His small body could launch surprise attacks, but if he encountered an enemy head-on, there was basically no way his current body could get close to the target. In the end, he could only choose [Flying Blade] as his main skill for now.
As long as the blades he threw were good enough, a sharp blade could slice open someone's throat and inflict fatal damage.
As his only evasive skill, [Back Hop] had to be practiced. Moreover, Back Hop mainly tired the waist and legs, while the throwing fatigue from [Flying Blade] was concentrated in the arms and shoulders.
Passive skills could strengthen the attack damage of that type of weapon. [Dagger Attack] was an additional benefit, while [Stealing] was a skill that could be cultivated over the long term. He could invest in and practice it for a long time, and he could also quickly grind proficiency. The only limitation was mana. At present, ten practice sessions per day were the limit.
"Back Hop, Stealing, Flying Blade, and Dagger Attack." Mel Carlo temporarily stopped practicing. He had already figured out some of the system's workings. As long as he repeated an unlearned skill ten times, he could acquire it. What mattered was performing the action.
But simple skills could still be acquired easily now. In the future, it might not be so easy. Some skills had assistance systems in games; no matter how dazzling the motions were, activation took only an instant.
But now that every movement had become hardcore, the difficulty of this stuff had skyrocketed.
"Master Anke, can you teach me some other skills? Do you know any others?" Mel Carlo walked over to the scarred man. At the very least, this man was not much of a threat for now.
"Besides Flying Blade, I also know Stealth, and..." Anke spoke, then seemed to fall into hesitation again. His gaze shifted slightly. "But those skills may be too difficult for you. At your age, I'm afraid even Stealth would be hard for you to learn."
"What if I'm an Apostle? Could I try?" Mel Carlo took the initiative to bring up the term.
That made Anke swallow. He had always harbored that suspicion, but he had no way to confirm it. Apostles were the sort of beings who only erupted with power beyond humanity when they were close to death.
If he wanted to verify it, he would need to bring the little brat before him to the brink of death. But if the brat was not an Apostle, he might really die. If he was an Apostle, then Anke himself would be the one to die.
"Yes. Besides Stealth, I also know the Assassin's Breathing Technique. But after I teach it to you, you must never spread it around. It is a skill that can only be learned within the Assassin Guild. You have to join the Assassin Guild... otherwise, those assassins will hunt you down."
"I understand. Please teach me, Master Anke."
Anke did not refuse. He stood up and began teaching patiently. [Stealth] was a Thief class skill that could only be learned at Level 5 in the game. Mel Carlo was not a genius, so he could not master that skill across levels.
But he could try [Assassin's Breathing Technique]. It was also an extra skill without level restrictions in the game, one that required finding a specific NPC to learn. In this world, perhaps only the Assassin Guild or certain assassin associations possessed this skill.
The only apparent use of [Assassin's Breathing Technique] in the game was to increase the duration of invisibility, but [Invisibility] was a level 20 Assassin class skill.
However, from Anke's explanation, it seemed to be somewhat different.
"Assassin's Breathing Technique allows you to be less easily detected while using Stealth."
"Alright, I understand." Mel Carlo nodded. A game was ultimately just a game. It was perfectly normal for there to be some differences.
Everything in a game existed for entertainment, but this fantasy world held far more possibilities.
Notice: Successfully learned [Assassin's Breathing Technique]. Proficiency: 1/10000.
"Looks like I learned it. Thank you, Master Anke. You're not as frightening as you look."
"You're not as harmless as you look either, brat!" Anke became even more convinced of his thoughts. This brat might really be an Apostle. As long as he did not lose control, Anke's life would not be in danger.
After trying it out briefly, Mel Carlo did not plan to continue. He had practiced enough today, and his body was already fairly exhausted.
"Brat, do you still want to learn Flying Blade?"
"I can give it a try." Mel Carlo agreed. He also wanted to verify whether training under someone else's guidance would make proficiency rise faster.
They came before the target. He held a dagger in his hand and had to throw it out. Of course, other throwing weapons could also be used.
Proficiency +1, Effort Points +1...
"Brat, you need to hold your hand steadier if you want to hit the bullseye. Your technique is still very crude!"
"Alright." Mel Carlo began adjusting his technique and posture according to Anke's instructions.
Although the proficiency increase remained the same, with each throw bringing only one Effort Point, after learning the throwing method for Flying Blade, his accuracy improved noticeably. At least he was no longer missing the target.
After finishing his training, Mel Carlo left the gang's courtyard.
[Flying Blade] Proficiency: 20/10000, Effort Points: 34.
Thirty-four points were enough for three draws, with four left over. Mel Carlo wondered whether he should do a ten-pull or try a single draw to see what prizes he could get.
After a brief consideration, he decided to draw once first. Even if there was no system assistant speaking to him, the lottery function was still there. It had merely taken him some time to figure out how to use the system.
After he clicked the single draw, there was no roulette animation. The result was simply settled directly.
Notice: Obtained item [Bag of Milk Candies]. Current Effort Points: 24.
"What the hell? Did this damn system get the wrong world? Shouldn't it be upgrade coupons, skill points, or some other fantasy item? This isn't a rebirth story set in the nineties."
Mel Carlo was slightly dumbfounded. It was not merely unrelated to this world; it did not fit at all. Looking at the rabbit on the milk candy wrapper, he was a little stunned.
There was no way to judge yet. Once he saved enough for ten draws in the future, a ten-pull should make things clear.
Before you continue